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Top 25 Stories in 2006
Published on:
We keep a counter to track which news articles are of most interest to you, the readers. This has a use as it helps us ensure we publish news articles that you will actually want to read.
As an end-of-year idea, below are the most popular stories published on cellular-news as read by yourselves over the past year, in order of popularity.
1 - Cingular Patenting the Emoticon :(
The USA based mobile operator, Cingular Wireless has managed to get a patent on the concept of using emoticon on mobile phones. While the aim of the patent is to enable the displaying of MSN style graphics on handsets, they also managed to patent the delivery of text based emoticon - so presumably sending :) via an SMS - if selected via a dedicated or softkey, would be a breach of the patent in future.
2 - AWS Auctions Set Off Backhaul Reshuffle
The planned August 2006 advanced wireless services (AWS) spectrum auctions in the USA will be accompanied by specific backhaul challenges, according to industry experts at wireless solutions group, Radio Frequency Systems (RFS). While the 'new' 1700 and 2100-MHz spectrum will provide bandwidth for commercial mobile phone carriers hoping to deploy 3G services, the story will be different for incumbents already using these bands for wireless backhaul applications. They must find new backhaul routes - and quickly - to allow them to vacate the spectrum without disrupting existing services.
3 - Telescopes for Mobile Phones
The handset accessories firm, Brando has developed a "telescope" for some Nokia handsets, which the company says offers a 6x zoom facility for the camera phone. The design does need the back of the handset to be replaced - to provide a securing mechanism for the telescope - so is currently only available for the Nokia 6230, 6230i and the 6680 handsets.
4 - Hurricanes Lead to Tax Rebates on Cellphone Accessories
To help Florida residents better prepare for the 2006 hurricane season, mobile phone batteries and chargers will for the first time be available tax-free during the state's hurricane preparation sales tax holiday, May 21 to June 1.
5 - A Fatwa Against Ringtones
An imam at a Mosque in Saudi Arabia issued a fatwa against mobile phones after one rang during prayers on Saturday. A report in the local newspaper, Al-Watan said that the imam had begun the Taraweeh prayer (Taraweeh is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given by Sunnis at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan) when the sound of Arabic pop music began playing from the audience.
6 - A Cellphone Powered by Urine
Physicists in Singapore have developed a battery that can be powered by human urine. Aimed at disposable health-care kits for use in rural areas, we naturally couldn't pass up the opportunity to comment on such a product being used for those "emergency" phone calls when your conventional battery had died. Led by Dr Ki Bang Lee, a team at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology developed a paper battery which is designed to be cheap to produce, and use urine as its power charge source.
7 - Just How Did Motorola Make the RAZR V3 So Thin?
In its latest Insight on Ultra-Slim phones, Strategy Analytics uncovered the secrets of the Motorola RAZR V3, comparing the thickness of the majority of ultra-slim clamshell phones. The success of the RAZR, and the growing trend by other vendors to introduce similar devices, are discussed in a report from the company. This report also includes an expose of NEC's e949/L1, which was introduced in December 2005 and has a thickness of just 11.9mm.The modular approach taken by NEC has enabled them to make the thinnest clamshell phone yet to incorporate a camera.
8 - White Chocolate From LG
LG Electronics has announced the upcoming availability of new versions of its Chocolate handset. Slated for release in the UK across Q3 and Q4 of 2006, the latest versions of the million-selling phone include white and pink handsets and new 'premium' Chocolate phones with unique design variations and enhanced technical specifications which will be available before the end of the year.
9 - Astrology Dictates How You Use Your Mobile Phone
Virgin Mobile UK has conducted some research which it claims reveals the way in which your star sign impacts upon the way you use your mobile phones to date and flirt. This unique research carried out by Virgin Mobile, in conjunction with celebrity astrologist Paul Watson, reveals the personality secrets behind each star sign, including which sign is most likely to cheat on their partner, which sign is more likely to use their mobile to tell their partner they love them via text, and who is the biggest mobile phone flirt.
10 - Cheaper to "Give Away" Free Cellphone Services in Rural Areas
U.S. taxpayers are getting stuck with the tab for up to US$13,345 per telephone line per year for federally subsidized phone service under the US$7-billion "Universal Service Fund" tax on long-distance service, according to a new study conducted for The Seniors Coalition by George Mason University Professor of Law and Economics Thomas Hazlett.
11 - Water Powered Mobile Phones
Japan's DoCoMo and Aquafairy have jointly announced that they will develop a water based micro fuel cell for mobile phones. This agreement follows their successful development of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) that has proven effective in a prototype recharger.
12 - Dolce & Gabbana Restyle a Motorola Handset
Motorola and the fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana have unveiled a new RAZR V3i Dolce & Gabbana handset, the latest collaboration which unites the RAZR design together with Dolce & Gabbana's signature style for consumers across the world.
13 - Motorola Signs David Beckham for Advertising
Motorola has signed one of the hottest properties in professional football as a global brand ambassador. The three-year collaboration with the UK footballer, David Beckham will kick-off with major activities across Asia including advertising appearances and extensive retail promotions rolled out across the network of Motorola stores and distributors throughout the region.
14 - Gold Plated Nokia Phones
Well-heeled customers are making a beeline for the latest 'must have' fashion accessory - 24 carat gold-plated mobile phones. London-based entrepreneur Laban Roomes who runs Midas Touch International, a specialist gold-plating organisation, has been inundated with requests for his new 'ring-bling' Nokia 8800 phones - which sell complete for around
Tags: [analytics] [virgin mobile] [docomo] [strategy analytics] [nec] [battery] [cingular] [backhaul] [florida] [advanced wireless services] [fuel cell] [radio frequency systems] [batteries] [radio frequency] [patent] [razr] [sales tax] [virgin]
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